Phyllis Portie-Ascott is projected to win the lone contested Orange County commissioner race on Tuesday night, earning her first election to the county board.
The Democrat earned 74.78% of the votes with all of the county’s precincts reporting, defeating Republican candidate H. Nathan Robinson in the race for a District 2 seat, which represents Hillsborough and northern Orange County on the elected board.
Portie-Ascott is already a familiar face among the county commissioners, having been appointed nearly two years ago to a seat left vacant by the election of Renée Price to the North Carolina House of Representatives. Despite that time on the board, this cycle represented Portie-Ascott’s first campaign for the county position after previously having been the first vice chair of the Orange County Democratic Party.
“Last year, I earned the trust of those six sitting commissioners to fill the vacant seat when Renée Price won,” Portie-Ascott told Chapelboro. “And now I was so honored and grateful to have earned the trust of the Orange County voters. I think this win for me is about more than just a campaign — it is about a shared commitment to the future of Orange County residents where everyone has access to affordable housing, quality mental health and behavioral health services, and real opportunity for workforce development.”
The victory means Portie-Ascott will now be able to serve a full, four-year term on the board alongside District 2 Commissioner Earl McKee. She added that, even with her experience, she looks forward to learning more in the role and leveraging partnerships to help both community members and North Carolinians benefit.
“I’m looking forward to just diving deeper into all of our responsibilities,” said the commissioner, “and exploring more of the relationship we have with the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and using that to ensure our residents in Orange County get the things they need.”
Meanwhile, Tuesday cemented the election of another first-time commissioner with ties to the local Democratic Party: Marilyn Carter. With Commissioner Anna Richards choosing to not run for re-election in District 1, it created an open seat in the cycle. Carter was the lone candidate to file for District 1 alongside incumbent Commissioner Jean Hamilton, who will be elected for a second term.
Before turning her attention to her personal candidacy, Carter worked with the Orange County Democratic Party for years, once serving as its chair. She also is an organizer with the Democratic Women of Orange County.
“As a first-time candidate for elected office,” Carter told Chapelboro, “I ran to serve all of Orange County and I’m feeling very grateful for the support of those who volunteered, donated and helped spread the word about my candidacy. I’m looking forward to getting to work — when I’m sworn in on Dec. 2, I’m going to roll those sleeves up and get right to it.”
Marilyn Carter will be elected as a first-time candidate to the Board of Orange County Commissioners, after having been involved with the Democratic Women of Orange County and county Democratic Party. (Photo via Marilyn Carter for OC.)
Citing her time on the planning board and past work supplementing the commissioners, Carter said she knows the scope of county government is “deep and broad,” and she looks forward to meeting with Orange County’s variety of departments to better understand their roles. She added she will follow the example set by the outgoing Richards, who Carter described as a “dedicated, smart, committed public servant.” Many of the priorities the commissioners have been supporting align with Carter’s goals and campaign, and she said she wants to step in to help achieve those.
“At the end of the day, here in Orange County,” said Carter, “we hold a promise that when we can all work together for the good of our residents, we can make our communities the best places to live here in North Carolina — and I also believe we can make North Carolina the best place to live in the United States. So, I look forward to doing my small part along with the other commissioners to move in that direction.”
Hamilton told Chapelboro on Tuesday night she is thankful for everyone who voted early and on Election Day, also giving credit to the county’s Board of Elections and “all the election workers and volunteers for their hard work.”
“I am honored to serve Orange County for another 4 years,” said Hamilton, “and will continue to listen, collaborate, ask hard questions, and be a good steward of our resources to meet the present and future needs of Orange County.”
Similarly to Hamilton, incumbent Commissioner Amy Fowler ran unopposed this cycle, meaning she will retain her at-large seat on the Board of County Commissioners for another four-year term.
“I am happy to be able to serve for another 4 years,” Fowler told Chapelboro. “[I’m] hoping to realize some of the plans we have set in action, such as school facility improvements, a new behavioral health diversion facility, and making progress on our climate action plan. I am very hopeful for a blue wave across the state and nation.”
Portie-Ascott, Carter, Hamilton and Fowler will round of the board with McKee and District 1 Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford and At-Large Commissioner Sally Greene.
More 2024 state and local election results from Tuesday can be found on Chapelboro’s results page.
Featured photo via the Committee to Elect Phyllis Portie-Ascott.
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